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☆ Bomb-carrying drones targeted a defense factory in central Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Iran reported a drone attack on a defense facility in the city of Isfaham on Saturday night. The Defense Ministry said it shot down two drones and a third struck the building and caused "minor damage." A Defense Ministry statement said that three drones were launched at the factory. A mobile phone video was aired by state TV, appearing to show the moment the drone struck the building and caused an explosion in the central Iranian city. Reports of the drone strike came as a large fire broke out at an oil refinery near the city of Tabriz on Saturday.

☆ Azerbaijan to evacuate embassy in Iran on Sunday after fatal shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BAKU, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan will evacuate embassy staff and family members from Iran on Sunday, the foreign ministry said, two days after a gunman shot dead a security guard and wounded two other people in an attack Baku branded an "act of terrorism". After the attack, the Azeri foreign ministry said it summoned Iran's ambassador in Baku to demand justice and would evacuate embassy staff from Tehran. Earlier, the ministry said the shooting was the result of Tehran failing to heed its calls for better security. CCTV footage obtained by Reuters showed the attacker forcing his way into the embassy building and shooting at two men before a third embassy employee grapples him away. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi called for "a comprehensive investigation" of the incident and sent his condolences to Azerbaijan and the dead man's family, state media said.

☆ Strong earthquake strikes Turkey-Iran border
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

DUBAI, Jan 28 (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of up to 5.9 struck the Turkey-Iran border region on Saturday, destroying houses in a main provincial city in Iran, Iranian media and the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported. "The amount of destruction of some houses and buildings in the city of Khoy city is relatively high," Iranian emergency services spokesperson Mojtaba Khaledi told the YJC news agency. The quake had a magnitude of 5.6 and was at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), EMSC said. Iranian media said the earthquake had a magnitude of 5.9 and hit near the city of Khoy in Iran's Western Azerbaijan province. Iranian emergency officials said rescue teams were despatched to the area and hospitals were put on alert, state media said.

☆ Watch: Gunman Storms Azerbaijan Embassy in Iran, Killing One
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

U.S., Israel Hold Largest-Ever Joint Military Drill The U.S. and Israel conducted their largest ever joint military exercise on land, in the air and at sea. WSJ watched the drill aboard the carrier USS George H.W. Bush in the Mediterranean Sea. Photo: Dion Nissenbaum

☆ Gunman Kills One at Azerbaijani Embassy in Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Benoit Faucon | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A gunman killed one person and injured two others at the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, prompting Baku to order its staff to leave Iran and blame the Islamic Republic for security lapses over what it called a terrorist attack. “I firmly condemn the act of terrorism carried out at the embassy of Azerbaijan in Tehran,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev posted on Twitter, as he demanded a swift investigation and punishment of the alleged perpetrator.

☆ DOJ charges 3 men in murder-for-hire plot against journalist critical of Iran
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Rebecca-Shabad-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Rebecca Shabad | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Soon after the charges were announced, Masih Alinejad revealed that she was the target of the assassination plot. “Fortunately, their plot failed because we didn’t,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said at a press conference announcing the indictment. Amirov, a citizen of Azerbaijan and Russia who was living in Iran during the plot, was taken into custody in New York on Thursday. Omarov then directed Mehdiyev to carry out the plot against Alinejad and Amirov and Omarov arranged to pay Mehdiyev $30,000 in cash. Before he could carry out the plot, however, Mehdiyev was arrested near Alinejad's home in July with the assault rifle in his possession.

☆ Azerbaijan strongly protests to Iran after fatal embassy shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Nailia Bagirova | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Necessary security measures have been taken to continue normal activities at the embassy and diplomats of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran," he said. [1/5] A general view of the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan after an attack on it, in Tehran, Iran, January 27, 2023. It said an "anti-Azerbaijani campaign" in Iran had contributed to the attack, without elaborating, and accused Tehran of long ignoring its appeals to boost embassy security. Iran's Amirabdollahian later told Azeri Foreign Minister Jayran Bairamov in a phone call that he hoped the attack would not damage bilateral ties. Israel has had an embassy in Baku since the early 1990s and has been a significant military backer of Azerbaijan in recent years.

☆ Azerbaijan federation demands ITF action on Khachanov support for separatists
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The Azerbaijan Tennis Federation has demanded the International Tennis Federation (ITF) takes action against Karen Khachanov after the Russian sent messages of support to the breakaway Artsakh Republic from the Australian Open. The ethnically Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, known by the separatists as the Artsakh Republic, broke away from Azerbaijan with Armenian support after a bloody post-Soviet ethnic conflict in the early 1990s. In 2020, Azerbaijan launched a second war in the region, successfully winning back part of the territory controlled by the Armenian-backed separatists. Azerbaijan tennis authorities sent a letter of protest to the ITF at the weekend demanding tough measures "to punish" Khachanov and prevent him from making similar "unacceptable provocations" at tennis tournaments. Belarus is being used as a key staging ground for Russia's war in Ukraine, which Moscow terms a "special operation".

☆ Ukraine's battlefields look like World War I but with a new and terrifying addition that leaves troops with almost nowhere to hide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-22 | by ( John Haltiwanger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

The conflict in Ukraine has emerged as the first major war involving drone use on both sides. By the late 1990s, Predator drones were being used by the US and NATO for reconnaissance missions in the Kosovo War. Ukraine has in many ways emerged as a guinea pig for drone warfare. Anadolu Agency/Getty ImagesLater in the war, Russia began launching swarms of Iranian-made Shahed-136 "kamikaze" drones, striking targets across Ukraine. Drones have significantly shortened the so-called kill chain, Cancian explained, helping troops swiftly locate targets and provide coordinates for artillery.

☆ Russia’s Influence Wanes in Ex-Soviet States as It Pursues Ukraine War
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Ann M. Simmons | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

MOSCOW—Escalating tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan are exposing the declining influence of Russia in its backyard, as the Kremlin diverts money and manpower to the war in Ukraine. The situation regards Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory in the South Caucasus that has been disputed, often violently, by the two former Soviet republics for almost three decades. The enclave is home to 120,000 people, mostly ethnic Armenians, but is internationally recognized as being part of Azerbaijan.

☆ Explainer: What's at stake in Turkey's upcoming elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

WHAT'S AT STAKE IN THIS ELECTION FOR TURKEY... Opposition parties have pledged to restore central bank independence, bring back parliamentary government and introduce a new constitution enshrining the rule of law. Meanwhile Turkey's top court is hearing a case to shut down the third-largest parliamentary party, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), and has frozen some of its accounts. Once campaigning starts, opposition parties may find it harder to get their message heard. Though the election deadline is mid-June, Erdogan's party has said they may be brought forward.

☆ BP produced 20.4 mln tonnes of oil in Azerbaijan in 2022 - ministry
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Companies Bp Plc FollowBAKU, Jan 13 (Reuters) - BP (BP.L) produced 20.4 million tonnes of oil in Azerbaijan in 2022, the energy ministry said on Friday. Gas production from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field totalled 13.4 billion cubic metres (bcm), the energy ministry said, while 25.2 bcm was produced from the Shah Deniz gas project. Reporting by Nailia Bagirova Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Newly released tax returns reveal Trump paid more in foreign taxes than US income tax for years
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trump's tax returns were released by the House Ways and Means Committee after years of legal battles. They reveal details about years he paid more in foreign taxes than US income tax. In several years, according to AP, he paid more in foreign taxes related to his international business dealings than he did in income tax to the United States. AP reported Trump paid $641,931 in federal income taxes in 2015, as he began his campaign for president, but paid just $750 in 2016 and 2017. While the recently released tax documents reveal previously unknown information about the former president's finances, they are not proof of legal wrongdoing.

New York CNN —After years of legal battles, pontificating and theorizing, former President Donald Trump’s tax returns from 2015 to 2020 are now part of the public record. However, Trump’s tax returns raise numerous questions about the former president’s finances, his business activities, foreign ties and his charitable donations, among other issues. The tax returns do not show what the bank account was used for or how much money passed through it or to whom. The tax returns don’t say how much he lent them or why he gave them loans in the first place. Since 1977, the Internal Revenue Service has had a policy of auditing every president’s personal tax returns while they are in office.

☆ McDonald's and KFC pulled out of Russia after Putin invaded Ukraine but Domino's is still operating — for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Domino's is still selling pizza in Russia but its master franchisee says it has limited investment. DP Eurasia owns the Domino's stores in Russia, as well as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. A Domino's Pizza restaurant in Moscow in July 2017. At the end of October, DP Eurasia had 171 Domino's stores in Russia, 103 of which were run by franchisees. DP Eurasia subsidiary Domino's Russia has a master franchise agreement with Domino's Pizza International to operate stores until 2030.

☆ Bulgaria in talks with Turkey on long-term gas deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SOFIA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's interim energy minister is in Istanbul on Friday for talks he hopes will lead to a deal this month on long-term access to liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals in neighbouring Turkey and the transit of the gas to its border. The chief executives of Bulgaria's state gas company Bulgargaz and gas network operator Bulgartransgaz are also taking part in the talks as Bulgaria seeks new sources of gas. Russia, which covered over 95% of the Balkan country's gas needs, cut off deliveries to Bulgaria in April after Sofia refused to pay for them in roubles. Bulgaria wants to book capacity at Turkish terminals through 2036 to import 1 bcm of LNG gas a year. Under the energy ministry plans, Bulgaria will cover a third of its gas needs with LNG gas imports through Turkey, one third through the LNG terminal near the Greek city of Alexandroupolis which should become operational in 2024 and one third with Azeri supplies.

☆ These are 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Miguel Ortiz | We Are The Mighty | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Using data from Cirium, FlightGlobal published their 2023 World Air Forces directory detailing military aircraft fleets around the world, including the most popular fighter planes. These are the 10 most popular fighter planes in service around the world:Northrop F-5An F-5 Tiger II takes off at Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada. Despite its age, the J-7 remains extremely popular with 444 in active service. 522 Typhoons are in active service, including with all of the original collaborating countries except France. 545 F-35s are in active service, with more on the way as existing orders are filled and additional orders are placed.

Ukraine has shared a list with European countries of some 10,000 items it urgently needs to maintain power. Since early October, Russian forces have targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing blackouts and forcing millions of people to endure sub-zero temperatures with little or no heating. As stockpiles of state-owned European power grids dwindle, Lorkowski expected the private sector to become more important in meeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure needs. A first tranche of U.S. power equipment worth $13 million has been shipped to Ukraine, officials said, and two more planeloads were due to leave shortly. Olena Osmolovska, director of the reform support team at Ukraine's energy ministry, said it would cost tens of billions of dollars to fully restore the energy system.

☆ 'Qatargate' scandal casts light on 'untouchable' EU lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Philip Blenkinsop | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 20 (Reuters) - As a corruption scandal rocks the European Parliament, lawmakers and campaign groups say a lack of asset declarations, little reporting on contacts with third countries and barely any sanctions created an environment where rule-breaking could go unpunished or undetected. Prosecutors suspect Greek member of the European Parliament (MEP) Eva Kaili and three others accepted bribes from recent soccer World Cup host Qatar in a bid to influence European Union policymaking. The case, widely dubbed "Qatargate" in the media, is one of the biggest scandals to hit the 27-nation bloc. They also urged the European Commission to put forward a proposal for an independent ethics body as soon as possible. ($1 = 0.9433 euros)Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; additional reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Four leaders sign agreement to bring green Azeri energy to Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Expert Analysis | Reuters Professional | Calls Grow For Companies To Disclose Impacts On Nature In Bid To Plug Finance Gap | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BUCHAREST, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed an agreement on Saturday on an underwater electric cable under the Black Sea to carry green Azeri energy to Europe. "Given the current security context marked by the military aggression against Ukraine we need to cooperate better and show more solidarity to mitigate common challenges," Romanian President Klaus Iohannis told the meeting, also attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Luiza Ilie, Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU to discuss Russia, Iran sanctions, top up of Ukraine arms fund
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - European Union foreign ministers will meet on Monday to try to agree on further sanctions on Russia and Iran and an additional 2 billion euros ($2.11 billion) for arms deliveries to Ukraine. However, it remained unclear whether Hungary will block some decisions, resorting to what diplomats have denounced as "blackmail diplomacy" due to a dispute over locked EU funds for Budapest. Foreign ministers will discuss a ninth package of Russia sanctions that is set to place almost 200 more individuals and entities on the EU sanctions list. They are also due to review new sanctions on Iranian people and organisations over human rights abuses in Tehran's crackdown on protesters and the supply of drones to Russia. Before their meeting, ministers will talk with the counterparts from the Eastern Partnership - Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine - nations the EU has sought to stabilise in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine.

☆ Azerbaijan's SOCAR halts Russian crude supplies to Turkish refinery
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON/MOSCOW, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The trading arm of Azerbaijan's state oil firm SOCAR has paused purchases of Russian crude oil for its Turkish refinery as the industry grapples with EU sanctions on shipping and crude, sources familiar with the matter said. Turkish refineries, including SOCAR's STAR plant, had increased purchases of Russian crude after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Russian flows to Turkey had already dropped last month to their lowest since February, according to Refinitiv Eikon data, and a source said SOCAR was reviewing the situation in order to remain compliant with Western sanctions. Reporting by Reuters reporters, Rowena Edwards and Julia Payne in London; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Oil tankers are getting stuck in the Black Sea. That could become a problem
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

A further nine tankers were waiting to cross southbound from the Sea of Marmara through the Dardanelles strait into the Mediterranean. The snag is linked to a Western price cap on Russian oil that came into effect on Monday. Countries including Russia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan use the Turkish straits to get their oil to world oil markets. The traffic jam in the Turkish straits arose following the imposition this week of the price cap on Russian oil. Turkish officials say this position is “unacceptable” and on Thursday reiterated demands for letters from insurers.

☆ Russia, mired in war, faces economic pain and attempts to isolate it
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Andrew Osborn | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The war has so far not gone well for Putin. [1/5] Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting with members of the Security Council via a video link from the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia December 2, 2022. And Russia, one of the world's biggest energy and commodity producers, has been hit with the harshest Western sanctions in its modern history. For Russia, 2023 is likely to be a year when it tries to stave off more Western attempts to isolate it. As Putin pays up to keep the war in Ukraine grinding on, managing its fallout at home and abroad is likely to get harder.

☆ Caspian seal deaths: Thousands of dead seals wash up in Russia's Dagestan
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Mariya Knight | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Around 2,500 endangered seals have been found dead on Russia’s Caspian coast, state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported Sunday, citing authorities in the North Caucasus region. Caspian seals, the only mammals found in the Caspian Sea, have been classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list since 2008. According to RIA, inspectors were patrolling the coastline in search of additional dead seals. Meanwhile, specialists from the Caspian Environmental Center were analyzing samples from the dead seals to identify the cause of death. The mass deaths come after more than 140 Caspian seals were found dead on Kazakh beaches of the Caspian Sea earlier this year, according to KASPIKA, an agency for the conservation of Caspian seals.

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